Ball storage bag

ABSTRACT

A novel storage bag for use with a sports ball and related equipment or clothing is disclosed, where the storage bag includes a storage portion for retaining the ball and a lower compartment portion for retaining shoes. The storage bag of the present invention has a defined footprint for the compatible insertion of the storage bag in a gym or school locker. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the footprint is approximately 14 inches in depth and approximately 9 inches in width.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not applicable.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a storage bag for sports balls and thelike. More specifically, the present invention relates to a storage bagfor retaining a sports ball and similar equipment in an organizedfashion that is compatible with placement of the storage bag in a gym orschool locker, or with the ability for it to stand on its own.

Many different sports that are played require the use of a ball of onesort or another. In many cases the balls can be of the same shape orsize, such as basketballs, kick balls, soccer balls, or footballs toname a few. Even though the present invention is optimized for suchballs, the storage bag may be used to hold and store other equipment aswell.

The need for bags or duffels to store sports equipment comes about as aresult of the nature of most sports programs. Many are part of physicaleducation curriculum organized by schools, and other programs areorganized by groups such as Little League organizations or youthfootball or soccer leagues. The participant is required to bringequipment in such cases and this may comprise shoes, articles ofclothing, or actual equipment (such as balls) that may be used forpractice or in a game. The problem has been how best to carry all ofthese items in an organized fashion. One answer that has been a solutionof sorts, is to use a so-called gym bag which is typically nothing morethan a duffle-shaped bag. The size may vary but the gym bag issoft-sided and somewhat tubular in overall shape. This type of bag isindeed useful and it will carry a fair amount of gear which can bestiffed into the bag in a random manner. The problem is that such bagsare not easy to store in lockers and depending on how they are packed,they seldom will stand upright in a compact manner. Multiply thissituation by the numbers of school kids that may be involved in a sportsprogram and one can appreciate the size of the problem that is created.In fact, in many programs the proliferation of bags is so great that itcan interfere with the particular sport, such as might happen in abasketball program. The gym bags are spread randomly and soon take upall the space at one end of the court or the other, not only causing amess, but a potential tripping hazard as well.

Various types of sports bags have been developed for use in carryingsports equipment and clothes. One known bag is disclosed in U.S. Pat.No. 5,927,581 (Reddy, et al) which was a soft-sided bag optimized forcarrying a couple of sports balls along with accessory items such as awater bottle. Similarly, in U.S. Pat. No. 5,992,623 (Myers, Jr.) teachesthe use of a carrier for holding a sports ball, where the carrier can befitted with handles or it can be placed within a larger sized duffle orbag. The carrier is designed to cushion the sports ball and to protectit from the elements. In U.S. Design Patent No. 404,198 (Eaton, et al)teaches the use of a design for a ball carrier that has a singleshoulder strap and a bottle holder. The ball carrier appears to besoft-sided and is meant to hold just the ball.

The carrier in U.S. Pat. No. 6,286,674 (Richard, et al) has a detachableball container that cosmetically is fashioned to represent a basketballhoop. The bag portion is similar to a bag pack and when the ballcontainer is attached (by zipper) to the backpack, it allows a youth totransport his favorite ball to school or the gym. A similar dualapproach for a backpack is also shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,287(Cormier) but the portion that resembles a ball is not necessarily meantto contain a ball. The teachings allow that sports related articlescould be carried in the backpack of Cormier but it does not specificallyprovide for segregate spaces for a ball and other equipment.

The ball carrier in U.S. Pat. No. 6,095,390 (Bogle) has a very specificand unitary purpose for varying a sports balls, such as a basketball, ona person, in a way that allows the person to continue to engage in otheractivities such as riding a bike. The ball carrier is more or less ameans to strap the ball onto the user's body. A ball bag that isanalogous to Bogle is disclosed in U.S. Design Patent No. D437,482(Rugg) and provides a means to carry a ball conveniently.

The ball storage carriers and bags of the prior art do not teach thebenefits of a ball bag that can be stowed in an upright condition and incooperation with other similar types of ball bags. Nor do any of theprior art bags or carriers specifically teach the use of a storage bagthat is optimized for storage within a locker. These and other benefitsof the present invention will be discussed in more detail below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A ball storage bag in accordance with the present invention, includes alower storage portion, a bag storage portion and carrying straps, wherethe ball storage bag has a defined footprint formed by walls that imparta measure of rigidity. The ball storage bag is configured and sized tooptimally fit within the typically gym locker or school locker. The bagstorage portion includes an interior compatible for housing a ball andit also includes a floor for supporting the ball therein. Below the bagstorage portion is a lower compartment for storing additional items suchas shoes.

The lower compartment of the present invention includes a door thatforms one of the walls of the lower compartment and which operatesbetween a closed position and an open position. When in the closedposition, the door of the lower compartment can be reversibly fastenedto an adjacent wall of the lower compartment in order to maintain thedoor in the closed position and to retain any items stored within.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of the ball storage bag of the presentinvention with a sports ball (in phantom) shown being retained withinthe ball storage bag.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the ball storage bag of FIG. 1 withoutthe sports ball, and with a partial cutaway view displaying the interiorof the ball storage bag.

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of the lower compartment of theball storage bag of FIG. 1 taken along Section Lines 3-3.

FIG. 4 is a top cross sectional view of the ball storage bag of FIG. 1showing the lower compartment and taken along Section Lines 4-4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A novel ball storage bag in accordance with the present invention isshown in the drawings and is discussed in detail herein. As displayed inFIGS. 1 and 2, the storage bag 10 generally comprises the bag portion12, and the lower compartment 22. The storage bag 10 further includesshoulder straps 14, hand straps 16, the zipper 20, the snap 24, the flap26, the side compartments 28, the bottom 30 and the top 32. The ball 18is shown in phantom in FIG. 1.

As viewed in FIG. 2 the bag interior 40 can be seen, with the bag floor42, the side compartment top(s) 44, the lower compartment interior 46.Turning to FIGS. 3 and 4, additional details relating to the lowercompartment 22 can be seen in more detail, including the lowercompartment top 50, the lower compartment floor 52, the lowercompartment walls 54 and the foot pads 56. In FIG. 4 in particular, thedoor side 60 is shown with hinge point 62.

In use, the storage bag is used to enclose a sports ball of one kind oranother. As indicated in FIG. 1, a spherical ball such as a basketballor a soccer ball may be kept within the bag interior. The bag portiondoes not have walls per se, but is a typical soft-sided type of bagconstruction that is oriented with a top and a bottom. The ball isinserted into the bag interior when the zipper is opened, therebyallowing access to the bag interior as the bag top is partiallyseparated. The ball is then placed onto the bag floor where it willtypically fit in between the two side compartments. The sidecompartments may help to keep the ball in position although this dependson the ball size and type. For instance, a football may be stored in thepresent invention and will generally be retained in the same fashion,however if a user stores a softball or a number of softballs the baginterior, the placement may be less organized.

The side compartments are walled structures that allow for the storageof additional gear. The user may use the side compartments to storegloves, socks or other articles of clothing, or sports gear may bestored in these spaces such as air pumps, sunglasses, or the like. Allof the gear stored in the bag interior can be easily accessed by theuser merely by opening the zipper.

In addition to the foregoing, the storage bag also provides space forhousing a pair of shoes in the lower compartment. The lower compartmentis separated from the bag interior by the bag floor and the lowercompartment top, although it is integrally connected to the bag portionwhere the bag floor and the lower compartment top conjoin. Access to thelower compartment is through the door which is, in actuality, one of thewalls of the lower compartment that is allowed to swing about the hingepoint at one end and at the other end it has a fastener to secure it tothe adjacent lower compartment wall. The hinge point is preferably aliving hinge that is formed from the plastic material that is used toconstruct the walls. In the case of the preferred embodiment, thefastener is a common snap type which the user can open and close withease. The storage of shoes in the lower compartment is strategic sincethese items are kept segregate from the bag interior. At times this maybe desired owing to the fact that shoes can be soiled or can smell andthis will allow them to be kept away from clothing or other items thatare stored in the bag interior, keeping the free of soils or fromabsorbing any odors.

As may be appreciated from the drawings, the bag portion may befabricated from a soft-sided material such as a canvas. The lowercompartment is comprised generally of wall structures with a top and abottom and these are fabricated from a more rigid material such as aplastic. The two portions, the bag portion and the lower compartmentportion, are mated together which forms a storage bag with a definedfootprint, one that is represented by the dimensions of the lowercompartment, and also that has the soft-sided attributes for the bagportion.

The foot print of the storage bag of the present invention is animportant consideration. The dimensions of the preferred embodiment areselected to be compatible with the placement of the storage bag in alocker. Whether this is a gym locker or a student locker, the generalwidths and depths are essentially the same. As one can appreciate, theconfines of the locker are fixed and storage bags, backpacks, and othermeans of storing equipment, are not specifically configured to fitwithin the locker. This means that in some cases the user is forced tostuff his/her gear into the locker in any way possible, which candisrupt the organization of the stored items and possibly even causedamages to them. In addition it causes disruption to the user's lockeras well where it is used to store other items, such a clothes orschoolwork and books. The footprint of the storage bag willpreferentially have a size that is compatible with placement in a lockerand these dimensions are approximately 14 inches in depth and 9 incheswide. The exact dimensions may vary in accordance with the engineeringselections of one skilled in the art, but this basic footprint enablesthe storage bag of the present invention to be used in the mannerdesired. The height of the storage bag is another consideration and thismay be selected to ensure that a sports ball of the type desired to bestored will fit in the bag portion while still allowing for enoughheight for the lower compartment to house the shoes of the user.Preferentially the height needed for the lower compartment isapproximately 5 inches and the overall height of the storage bag wouldbe 15 inches.

Another attribute of the storage bag of the present invention is thefact that the construction of the lower compartment forms a rigidenclosure. Rigid in this case doesn't mean that the structure isabsolutely inflexible, however, the usage of plastic walls, floor andtop, can be done in such a way to impart definition to the lowercompartment that will allow it to be robust enough to act as a base forthe storage bag and to generally retain its preferred dimensions. Thisresults in a storage bag that conforms to a generally rectangularfootprint and when used in conjunction with other storage bags they canbe organized to be stored side-by-side to each other on a gym floor, ora shelf, or other flat surface. This allows the storage bags of thistype to be kept organized and to take up a minimal amount of floorspace. This function becomes more desired once one considers the impactof having several dozen gym bags strewn about the floor behind abasketball goal for instance. The random placement results in chaos thatcan not only take up floor space that may be needed for the sportactivity, but it also represents a tripping hazard. With the use of thepresent invention it is contemplated that the storage bags can be placedin a row along the bas of a wall, or they can be arrayed side-by-side tominimize the impact on floor space and to efficiently organize thestorage bags.

The type of ball that may be stored within the bag portion is notrestricted to the round balls like a basketball or soccer ball. Smallerballs like softballs or baseballs can be stored, as can other types ofsports equipment. The storage bag does optimally provide for the storageof a sports ball but the usage of the invention is not necessarily solimited.

The storage bag of the present invention can be varied without departingfrom the spirit and scope of the concept. Slight changes in thedimensions of the footprint, or in the materials used for theconstruction of the storage can be made by one skilled in the artwithout affecting the benefits and attributes taught herein.

1. A storage bag for storing sports related items, where the storage bagcomprises: A bag portion with a top and a bottom, and with at least oneset of straps for carrying said storage bag, and with access for thestorage of items; A lower compartment portion with walls, a top and abottom, where the top of the lower compartment portion is integrallyconnected to the bag floor, and where the lower compartment furtherincludes a door for access to the interior of the lower compartment;and, Where the footprint of the storage bag is defined and is compatiblewith the placement of the storage bag in a gym or school locker.
 2. Thestorage bag of claim Number 1, where the bag portion is compatibly sizedto receive and retain a sports ball.
 3. The storage bag of claim Number1, where the bag portion further includes at least one side compartment.4. The storage bag of claim Number 1, where the defined footprint of thestorage bag is approximately 14 inches in depth and approximately 9inches in width.
 5. The storage bag of claim Number 1, where the walls,the top and the bottom of the lower compartment are comprised of a rigidplastic.
 6. The storage bag of claim Number 5 where the lowercompartment door is formed from a wall and includes a hinge point at oneend and a flap at the opposite end, where the door is moveable betweenan open position and a closed position, and where the flap is capable ofbeing fastened to an adjacent wall of the lower compartment.
 7. Thestorage bag of claim Number 6, where the flap end of the door isfastened to the adjacent wall by a snap.
 8. A storage bag for storingsports related items, where the storage bag comprises: A bag portionwith a top and a bottom, and with at least one set of straps forcarrying said storage bag, and with access for the storage of items; Alower compartment portion with walls, a top and a bottom, where the topof the lower compartment portion is integrally connected to the bagfloor, and where the lower compartment further includes a door foraccess to the interior of the lower compartment and where the walls, thetop and the bottom of the lower compartment are comprised of a rigidplastic; and, Where the footprint of the storage bag is defined and iscompatible with the placement of the storage bag in a gym or schoollocker.
 9. The storage bag of claim Number 8, where the bag portion isoptimized for the retention of a sports ball.
 10. The storage bag ofclaim Number 8, where the defined footprint of the storage bag isapproximately 14 inches in depth and approximately 9 inches in width.11. The storage bag of claim Number 8, where the bag portion furtherincludes at least one side compartment.
 12. The storage bag of claimNumber 8, where the lower compartment door is formed from a wall andincludes a hinge point at one end and a flap at the opposite end, wherethe door is moveable between an open position and a closed position, andwhere the flap is capable of being fastened to an adjacent wall of thelower compartment.
 13. The storage bag of claim Number 12, where theflap end of the door is fastened to the adjacent wall by a snap.
 14. Astorage bag for storing sports related items, where the storage bagcomprises: A bag portion with a top and a bottom, and with at least oneset of straps for carrying said storage bag, and with access for thestorage of items; A lower compartment portion with walls, a top and abottom, where the top of the lower compartment portion is integrallyconnected to the bag floor, and where the lower compartment furtherincludes a door for access to the interior of the lower compartment andwhere the walls, the top and the bottom of the lower compartment arecomprised of a rigid plastic; and, Where the footprint of the storagebag is defined and is compatible with the placement of the storage bagin a gym or school locker and where the defined footprint of the storagebag is approximately 14 inches in depth and approximately 9 inches inwidth.
 15. The storage bag of claim Number 14, where the bag portionincludes at least one side compartment.
 16. The storage bag of claimNumber 14, where the lower compartment door is formed from a wall andincludes a hinge point at one end and a flap at the opposite end, wherethe door is moveable between an open position and a closed position, andwhere the flap is capable of being fastened to an adjacent wall of thelower compartment.
 17. The storage bag of claim Number 16, where theflap end of the door is fastened to the adjacent wall by a snap.